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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25213879">The five times Shikaku was a good father and One time Shikamaru did a better job</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_4_L/pseuds/R_4_L'>R_4_L</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asuma’s death, Fluff and Feels, I have taken liberties with who said what and when, Jiraya’s death, Mentions canon character death, Naruto being Naruto, Pain Attacks, Parental Advice, Shikaku’s a good dad, Shikaku’s box, assuming that Asuma came to Shikaku for advice, frustrated Shikamaru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:40:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,551</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25213879</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_4_L/pseuds/R_4_L</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Shikaku didn’t often see himself as a good father.  Yoshino was the better parent.  There were however times when he thought he did a pretty good job guiding his son down the rocky path of how to be a good man, a good shinobi and a good friend.  There was however, one time when Shikamaru actually was the one to give better advice.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Shikaku Nara/Shikamaru Nara (father/son)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Shikaku Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The five times Shikaku was a good father and One time Shikamaru did a better job</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He never thought of himself as a good father.  He spent too much time working to protect the village to do much more then teach Shikamaru how to play Shoji and Go.  Sure he hid himself behind the role of Jonin Commander and Clan Leader but those were just excuses.  He had left the majority of the child rearing to Yoshino and she had a fabulous job.  He had only had minutes, seconds to show his son what it meant to not only be a man, but to be his own man.  Shikaku figured that in his entire life there were maybe five times where he had been a good father.  </p><p>****</p><p>1: The time Shikamaru approached his parents about Naruto</p><p> </p><p>Shikamaru had only been in his first year of the academy when he came to them about Naruto.  Even at such a young age, his son noticed that there was something different about his age mate.  </p><p>“Dad, can I ask you something?” Shikamaru played with his evening meal. </p><p>“What is it son?”</p><p>“Why does everyone hate Naruto and avoid him like the plague?  Did he do something wrong?”</p><p>Shikaku caught his wife’s eye and in that brief glance they both agreed to give their son a chance.  To give the son of their friends a chance.  </p><p>“What makes you think the villagers hate Naruto?”  Yoshino asked.  The look her son gave her was one of disbelief.  Like he couldn’t believe his mother was trying to pull a bluff.  </p><p>“Shikamaru, how do you feel about that boy?” Shikaku asked.  He was honestly curious as to how Shikamaru viewed young Uzumaki.</p><p>“Well, he’s stupid but he’s an interesting guy.  I’m not going to go out of my way to be friends with him or anything, but I won’t shun him.”  Shikamaru was tense, he didn’t want his parent to know how important their response really was.</p><p>“Then you should do what you want to do.”</p><p>Shikamaru relaxed when he recognized the nod from his parents.  They weren’t going to forbid a friendship like some of the other parents had.  Now he just needed to figure out how to make friends.  Man that was going to be so troublesome.</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>2: The time Asuma cornered Shikaku regarding Shikamaru</p><p> </p><p>Being approached by Asuma in regards to how to reach his kid was unexpected in that Asuma came to him quickly.  Asuma had only been assigned as Shikamaru’s sensei a month.</p><p>“Shikaku just how to I get you kid to do anything?” Asuma threw himself into the chair across from his desk.</p><p>“Is it just my kid you have issues with?” Shikaku would bet the next round of drinks at the Kunai and Shuriken, the favorite shinobi bar, that the Jonin Sensei was having issues with all three kids.</p><p>“No, but I’m going by to talk to Inoichi-sama and Choza-sama later this week.”</p><p>At least the kid was honest.  “So what have you done to try and get Shikamaru to participate in training?”</p><p>Shikaku sat, elbows on his desk and his chin resting on his fists as Asuma Sarutobi went over everything he had tried.  As the poor jonin lamented at ever getting the Nara genius engaged in his training, Shikaku was trying his best not to laugh.  Poor kid was so over his head.  If he remembered correctly, Asuma was an average shinobi who had made a name for himself as one of the Daimyo’s twelve guardians.  It had pissed off his father who was the Hokage, but the kid had needed to get out of Konoha and make a name for himself.</p><p>“Asuma, let me give you a hint when dealing with my son.”  Shikaku pulled out the bottle of mid grade sake he kept in his office and poured the man a drink.  “The first thing you need to know is that Shikamaru is smarter than you and he knows it.  Your good fortune comes in the fact that he’s not going to rub your face in it like Inoichi’s daughter would.  With Shikamaru you need to trick him with learning or challenge him.  How’s your Shoji game?”</p><p>“Son of a bitch.” Asuma pulled out a cigarette and slammed back the drink.  He hated Shoji and Go, he could never get the strategies down right.  Pleading with his eyes he looked at his student’s father, “please tell me you’d be willing to teach me?”</p><p>For the next couple of months Asuma was over every night for a couple of hours playing Shoji against all three Naras.  After that he showed up off and on mostly for tips and tricks in dealing with his son, but sometimes in dealing with his father.  </p><p>“So are you going to tell me what’s bothering you or do you still need more time to work it out?”  Shikaku didn’t have a problem playing Shoji just for the sake of playing.  He had thirteen games going at the moment and was working his way through the back log of files in his mind.  </p><p>“How did you become such a good father?”  </p><p>Asuma’s question through him for a loop.  It was the first time in ages he had made a mistake while playing a game since he learned how to play.</p><p>“What makes you say I’m a good father?”</p><p>“Shikaku.  Shikamaru idolizes you.  Hell even Choji and Ino look up to you.  Kakashi has mentioned using your advice in dealing with Naruto and his team.  Your advice even helped me reach a good place with my dad before he died.”</p><p>Shikaku took a moment to think about the numerous conversations that he’d had with the younger Sarutobi over the years.  “Asuma, why the concern on how to be a good father?”  He had an idea but needed confirmation.</p><p>“Kurenai is expecting.  I never had a chance to tell dad.  Our relationship had been strained for too long and was just getting back on track when the Chunin exams happened.”  He abandoned the game to face one of the few men he respected more then anyone else alive.  “I want my child to be able to look up to me like Shikamaru looks up to you.  I don’t want to fail.”</p><p>“Honestly most of the work has been done by Yoshino.  The best that I can say is to try better every day and to protect the King.  That’s all we can ask.”  </p><p>Late that night as the moon shone over the Nara woods, Shikaku was amazed by the tale that Asuma told.  Being proud of his son was one thing and it was something that he had never had cause to question.  Shikamaru had always done what was right both for the Nara Clan and for himself.  To hear the his son was proud of him, well, that was something else. </p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>3: The time Shikaku talked to Shikamaru about failing on the Uchiha retrieval mission.</p><p> </p><p>Talking to his son after his first mission damn near broke his heart.  Sasuke Uchiha had been taken from the village and Shikamaru was chosen as team leader to get him back.  Shikaku had his own hands full dealing with the fall out from other issues.  To send out a team of genin that included the jinchuriki was a risk.  His only hope lay in sending out a second team shortly after.</p><p>Finding Shikamaru sitting outside of the operating room where Choji was being looked after by Lady Tsunade, hadn’t been a big surprise.  He’d been there for hours.  </p><p>Kiba was in the best shape and he’d be in the hospital at least a week.  His sister Hana Inuzuka was going to look after Akumaru.  The poor ninken was going to need to serious down time to recover.  </p><p>Neji Hyuga was in serious condition and damage to his chakra network could potentially end his career as a shinobi.  Shikaku knew that no matter how much Hiashi Hyuga cared for his nephew, if Neji couldn’t preform as a ninja he would be considered worthless to the clan.  </p><p>Choji was in the most precarious position.  The food pill he used had no stopping point, at least not for someone of his age.  Choza might have been able to handle it better, but there was not guarantee.  </p><p>Shikamaru was of course blaming himself.  The Suna kunoichi wasn’t helping much.  Neither was he.  It was a hard lesson to learn.  He needed Shikamaru to come to the realization that his friends would be better off with him leading them then with him on the side.  </p><p>Sure the Naras were an integral part of the Ino-Shika-Cho maneuver, but they were also strategist.  They were the ones that came up with the plans and the back up plans and the plans for the back up plans.  The fact that Shikamaru stopped to listen gave Shikaku hope that his son wouldn’t quite out of frustration.  </p><p>Hearing from Tsunade that Choji was going to make it, lessened the burden.  Watching Shikamaru’s reaction when Shizune reported that not only was Neji going to recover but that Kakashi and Naruto had made it back to the village with minimal injuries gave Shikaku such a burst of hope.  Sure his son was in tears in the hospital hallway in front of their Hokage, her assistant and a Kunoichi from Suna; a bit of a cowardly move in his mind but this generation was definitely different.  He wasn’t going to force his son to hide his emotions.  What he could see, celebrate, was that his son hadn’t lost any friends.  </p><p>Lady Tsunade’s reminder that his mission had been a failure might have stung,  but it was her comment about everyone coming back alive that he was sure meant more to his son.  Death of a friend on a mission would come.  It was a fact of shinobi life.  Right now the fact that everyone was alive gave Shikamaru the motivation to be better.  To be prefect so that something like this wouldn’t happen again.</p><p>Alright so maybe looking back on it, it was more of a parenting moment from Lady Tsunade and himself, but damn it he was going to take the point.  He didn’t get many.</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>4: The time Shikaku helped Shikamaru deal with the death of Asuma</p><p> </p><p>Asuma’s death was hard in that it was another mission that Shikamaru lead that came to failure.  The fact that the Akatsuki were the ones to kill his mentor right in front of him hurt.  Shikaku and Shikamaru booth knew that the Akatsuki were after Naruto.  This time was different.  He needed to make sure that his son knew that it was alright cry.  That there was no shame in having emotions and expressing them.  What he needed to let Shikamaru know was where and when to express them.  Showing weakness at home was fine, it was something he had done countless times.  He just needed someone to have his back.</p><p>He knows his son and if Shikamaru wasn’t thinking of revenge of some sort he’d change his name to  Akimichi.  He needed the kid to think not react.  Plan and use that brain, not react at a gut level and the only way he could do that was to talk to him.  The Shoji tiles clacked against the board, Shikaku wasn’t even sure if Shikamaru was paying attention to the game at all.  It really didn’t matter.</p><p>“At least you’re not stupid enough to run out and get yourself killed because of this.  No man wants to go to his son’s funeral.  I’m proud of you, of the man that you’ve become.  Talented.  Smart.  Intelligent.  Someone that Konoha can depend on.”  The Shoji tiles kept clacking against the board.</p><p>Shikamaru had enough.  What type of game was his father playing at?  “Don’t fuck with me.  I’m a coward, a good for nothing shame of a shinobi.  Just what is it you’re trying to say?”  </p><p>“Let it out, son.  Let out that anger and hate and fear.  Don’t keep it inside.”  It would kill him, kill them both if Shikamaru kept everything inside.</p><p>The tears started then, but Shikaku knew his son wouldn’t accept anything from him just then, the wound was still too raw.  Leaving the sobbing teen, Shikaku closed the door to give him his privacy.  “Cry it out Shikamaru.  I’ll be here to help pick up the pieces.”  </p><p>He would always have his son’s back, would do anything he could to ease his burden even if that meant leaving him alone to cry.</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>5:  The time Shikaku changed Shikamaru mind about joining Naruto just after Pain’s attack</p><p> </p><p>With the village in shambles, Shikaku knew that he needed to be near the center of the action in order to give the best intel to defeat this enemy.  He found his son on the edge of the crater, injured but alive.  He couldn’t believe how glad he was to see his son alive.</p><p>“Dad!” A wealth of emotions were revealed in that one word.</p><p>Shikaku just nodded, the feeling returned.</p><p>“Dad, I need to go down and help him.”  Shikamaru wasn’t sure how the hell he was going to do that with a broken leg, but damn it Naruto needed him.</p><p>Katsuyu spoke up distracting them all, “Naruto has asked that everyone stay away.”</p><p>“Damn it!  Naruto!  Dad he can’t do it all alone.  He needs us.”  Shikamaru begged his father to understand.  Naruto had been alone far too long, he didn’t need to be alone any longer.</p><p>“Naruto is using Sage power right now.  He needs to know that everyone is safe to focus.”  Katsuyu was doing what she could to pass on Naruto’s will and messages.</p><p>“Shikamaru, if Naruto is truly a sage then you will only get in the way.  Let him do it on his own.”  Shikaku could see the pain in his son’s eyes very much like the way they were on his mission when everyone came back injured and there was nothing he could do about it.  Shikamaru hated not being able to back his friends.</p><p>“Damn it, why does that idiot have to everything on his own?”  The anger Shikamaru felt was mostly self directed, but he knew.  He just knew that Naruto was going to do something stupid.  The knucklehead always did and Shikamaru needed to be there to back him up and pull his head out of his ass.</p><p>“Shikamaru, you’re going to have to trust him.”  Shikaku made the comment moments before Hinata was struck down.</p><p>“Fuck,” Shikamaru’s voice was nothing more then a whisper now.  “I hope that idiot knows what he’s doing,” as the nine tails chakra took over his friend Shikamaru could just pray.</p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>1: The time that Shikamaru changed Shikaku’s actions.</p><p> </p><p>Shikaku had to say that he sucked at being a great dad, but watching his son struggle when one of his friends ran off to do something stupid well, Shikaku could help.</p><p>“I’ll go Shikamaru.” At his son’s beseeching gaze Shikaku continued and pinned his own best friend to come and help.  “Inoichi and I will go after Naruto and make sure he doesn’t do anything too stupid in your stead.”</p><p>“Thanks dad.” Shikamaru finally relaxed enough to let Ino heal him a little.</p><p>Running through the forest he listened to Inoichi chastise him for being so gullible where his son was concerned.  When they finally caught up the blonde jinchuriki the sadness in his eyes shook Shikaku to the core.</p><p>“Hey Nara-San, Yamanaka-San.”</p><p>“Naruto, where are you going?”  Shikaku knew where they were heading.  Using the information form Ino, Inoichi, Ibiki and his son, they had figured out where the final Pain was.  The question was  where was Naruto going?</p><p>“I need to check something out.  By myself if you don’t mind.” Naruto was polite but solemn.  </p><p>Inoichi lost it.  He wanted revenge.  So it seemed did Naruto, but there was something in the kids voice.  A tone.  Something that was trying to come through that brought back a memory.  Shikaku held up his hand.</p><p>“Go ahead Naruto, we’ll be here if you need us.”  Shikaku waited for Inoichi to blow.</p><p>“What the hell, Shikaku.  Why did you let Naruto go?”</p><p>“Something that Shikamaru said.” He watched Naruto leap further and further away.  “It was something that Shikamaru said to me a while ago.  It made me want to give him a chance.” </p><p>FLASHBACK—</p><p>The Black Ops had come by the compound searching for Shikamaru.  It was a point of pride now that Shikamaru was smarter then he was when it came to deciphering codes.</p><p>“Where were you?  Black Ops came looking for you.”</p><p>“Where was I?  I went to talk to Naruto.”  Shikamaru sat on the edge of the deck, taking off his sandals and brushing off the sand.  “He’s been really depressed lately.  It’s been troublesome.”</p><p>Shikaku was ready to give his son shit.  It was all well and good to support a friend, but blowing off the Black Ops division wasn’t something that a shinobi did.</p><p>Shikamaru leaned back, his gaze on the sunset.  “That guy, he possesses something that no one else does.”</p><p>Oh please gods don’t let him be talking about the Kyuubi.  There was no one left who knew how the seal that Minato made worked, no one left to fix it.  Yamato could hold it bay for a short period of time only.  Shikaku kept his tone calm and even.  “Something?”  He needed more details if it revolves around the Kyuubi.</p><p>“Yeah.  Someday, he’ll be a very important shinobi to the this village.”  Shikamaru gazed out at the Nara forests, “when it comes to Naruto, I want to walk that road with him.  He’s someone that I want to follow.  That’s what I think.”  Shikamaru was waiting for his father’s rebuttal.  </p><p>In all the years the he had been friends with Naruto, Shikamaru had never brought the blonde to the clan home.  There had been reasons.  The biggest had been Naruto’s obvious fear of adults and not wanting to get his friends in trouble.  Shikamaru had been fairly certain that his parents wouldn’t have minded.  However, Shikamaru had been there when Choza had forbidden Choji from being Naruto’s friend.  So had Naruto.  Neither had said anything and when Naruto had started to pull himself back from the pair, Shikamaru had left it up to Choji as to what they would do.  Thankfully the Akimichi heir had decided to continue the friendship, but Shikamaru had noted that Naruto made sure to leave well before either of their parents arrived anywhere.  </p><p>On missions Naruto was definitely their wildcard, no one knowing for sure just what he would do.  The only thing for certain was that Naruto would never give up and never abandon a friend.  Hell the guy wouldn’t abandon an enemy.  Shikamaru had seen the way Naruto had turned Gaara from a potential serial killer into one of his best friends.  He knew about the Buji sealed inside the guy and still didn’t care.  Naruto was not the nine tailed fox.  What he was, was an incredibly intuitive shinobi with more luck then anyone he knew.  Naruto was going to be someone important not just to his life, but to Konoha and the entire shinobi world, and Shikamaru wanted to have a front row seat.</p><p>“If that is what you believe, then follow it, no matter how troublesome it is.” Shikaku was proud of the man his son was becoming.  Now he just needed to go and placate the Black Ops.</p><p>—END FLASHBACK</p><p>“Inoichi, Shikamaru swears that Naruto is going to be someone important for the Hidden Leaf.  Honestly, I believe him.  Let’s give him the chance.  We owe it to Kushina and Minato if nothing else.”</p><p>Inoichi’s grumbling let Shikaku know that he had won.  The shock felt when everyone who had been killed in the Pain attacks had been brought back to life had Shikaku vowing to never doubt his son again. </p><p> </p><p>****</p><p>Shikaku sat in his study at home, he wanted to leave something for his son.  He wrote down his memories, little antidotes and stories that he remembered not only from his son’s childhood but also from his own.  He wrote about why he married Yoshino and how she was the best of wives he could ever have had.  Sure it seemed like she was a screaming shrew, but in actual fact Yoshino was one of the most loving and caring women he had ever known and his respect and love for her had never faded.</p><p>“Shikamaru, I guess these journals explain the five times that I was actually a good father and the one time you showed me that you would once again out shine me.  I just want you to know how much you are loved and respected and how proud your mother and I are of you.  I hope that I’m around to embarrass you with your children.  Love you my little fawn.” </p><p>Shikaku boxed everything up and hid it in the front closet.  He’d need to find somewhere else to hide it soon.  Yoshino was the one the run their household and she would check the box.  It wasn’t that he was ashamed of what he had written, but he was supposed to be a tough shinobi, not the sweet romantic his writing was making him out to be.</p>
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